Their national federation provided no money for equipment, and in the lead up to the Rio Games, most trained barefoot.

[1] Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.

[2][3] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition.

[4] Ethiopia finished tied for ninth among African countries for total gold medals, winning one silver.

[1] Demisse hoped that following the Rio Games, one day he could represent the United States or Canada at the Paralympics.